


Do You Dare Risk All?

by ragewerthers



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, M/M, Original Male Character - Freeform, what once was a oneshot is not something so much more
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-02-07 03:29:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18612211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ragewerthers/pseuds/ragewerthers
Summary: How could he have let this happen?He was always so vigilant!  He was a hardened soldier damn it!How could he have allowed himself to develop feelings for someone?!It was ridiculous and bothersome and… and… how dare Cartus waltz in one day and just take his heart like that!How dare he ensnare Cor’s heart without even noticing!





	1. Call Your Name

**Author's Note:**

> This has been bubbling in my head for a couple weeks now and I was finally able to bring forth my creation! Cartus Solus Scientia, Uncle to Ignis, is making his debut and I hope all who read can enjoy him as much as I have in creating him and bringing him to life! :D
> 
> You can also find me at ragewerthers.tumblr!
> 
> Enjoy! :D

Cartus Solus Scientia.

Advisor to King Regis and feared by many on the Citadels Council, at the young age of 23 he had already earned a reputation as a man not to be taken lightly by any stretch of the imagination.  If one were fool enough to try it was seen as a suicide mission and there were few and far between who wanted to go toe to toe with the man.

He was brilliant, quick witted and considered one of the best strategist’s the Crown City had ever seen.  With a gaze that made all who fell under it feel like they were being weighed and measured he could easily break down any opposition he faced.

The King and his Shield liked to joke that it came with the territory of being from House Scientia, though Cartus would often scoff at the idea that mere bloodlines could account for his successes.

However, there was no mistaking which line he indeed came from.  If his accent didn’t already give him away then his appearance would.  Like most of House Scientia he was tall, stalwart, with piercing green eyes and a quick mind that could both cause trouble for some and solutions for others.  There were some aspects that he did differ in when it came to his appearance and attitude. Unlike his older brother Magnus he had the dark brown hair of their Lucian mother rather than the fair hair of their Tenebrean father.  He also had acquired her fiery spirit, his temper not exactly exemplary though he’d learned to tone it down from his earlier years on the Council.

But for as intimidating a presence as he carried in the Citadel he was not without his little quirks and shortcomings.

Poor eyesight meant he had to wear glasses… and he  _ loathed  _ them with a passion he generally kept for certain members at court.  He was more apt to either have the things tucked into a vest pocket or pushed up on top of his head, squinting and holding documents almost to his nose before giving in and putting the bloody things on.

He also wasn’t one for combat or physical training.  He knew enough to hold his own in a battle and be a decoy to allow Regis to get to safety, but apart from that, trying to get him to come to his regularly scheduled training sessions was like pulling teeth.

This was something Cor Leonis definitely had first hand experience with, even calling Cartus out on it on countless occasions much to the mans chagrin.  And yet, regardless of the advisors reputation and all his shortcomings Cor was without a doubt absolutely and irrevocably… smitten _. _

To the 24 year old marshal this was a problem.  Sadly it was a problem he couldn’t fix with blade and muscle alone and so this was completely new territory for him as well.  It wasn’t something he could go to Clarus or Regis about either, though he had a feeling they both knew something was going on with him.  The fact they hadn’t started giving him advice on the matter was a godsend, but it also meant that he could make absolutely no progress. So now he was left with only one thing to do… lament over his situation.

How could he have let this happen?

He was always so vigilant!  He was a hardened soldier damn it!

How could he have allowed himself to develop  _ feelings _ for someone?!

It was ridiculous and bothersome and… and… how  _ dare _ Cartus waltz in one day and just take his heart like that!.

How  _ dare _ he ensnare Cor’s heart without even noticing!

The only thing worse than Cartus not realizing that Cor now held  _ affections _ for him was the way in which Cor was now attempting to show him that he held those damned affections!

Being in the Crownsguard at such a young age, his mind had been honed for one thing over the years.  Learning combat and war maneuvers didn’t really leave a lot of time for dating or developing relationships at any sort of intimate level.  Thus this was an area in which he was rather stunted and it showed.

Oh how it showed.

Most would express their feelings with kind words, perhaps a bouquet of flowers or a sweet note.

Cor was not like most.

\--------------------------------------

Sitting in one of the far corners of the library at his favourite table, Cartus continued to thumb his way through one of the newest reports coming out of Duscae in regards to their continued endeavors to open up new trading opportunities between them.  Not to mention what it would do with their relationships with Cleigne and Leide. A mountain of books was stacked to his left with three or four open before him to different pages. Statistical analysis books ranging from crops to monetary value of goods lay before him and he was in his element.

He was focused, in the zone, jotting down tidbits of useful information that would show Romearlus from the Council that he was a blithering idiot and needed to broaden his mind before outrightly declining to the newest trade agreements.

Cartus’ little smile of self satisfaction as he finished up his most recent thought on paper turned to a frown as he noticed a shadow falling over the table.  A shadow he knew all too well and had come to dread.

“Marshal,” he spoke up first, leaning back in his seat to look up and be met with that annoying little smirk adorning the man’s lips.  “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this evening?”

Cor snorted at that and let his eyes rove over the multitude of books that were scattered around the poor man before crossing his arms.

“I was asked to come check on you by his Highness.  You’ve been in the library for almost seven hours now.  Had to make sure you hadn’t been crushed to death under this tower of books you’ve collected,” he teased, making the other man scowl slightly as he crouched back over his work.

“Well I’m fine as you can see.  And I’m more than capable of pushing a pile of books off myself.  I’m not some dainty waif of a human,” he grumbled to which Cor couldn’t help chuckling, the sound rumbling deep in his chest.

“I’d believe you more if you ever bothered turning up for training.  At this point in time my assessment of your strength is that a mayfly could pin you down,” Cor continued to needle, taking a seat in one of the empty chairs and ignoring the glare he received.

“Well I hate to inform you that your assessment of me is rather lacking.  I can hold my own well enough and my brain is more important to the Crown then my brawn.  Isn’t that why they have you skulking around here anyway?,” the advisor snipped back, feeling the tips of his ears already heating up from the exchange.

Cor always had a way of hitting him right on the last nerve.  He didn’t know why he was a favourite target of the man, he only knew that he hated it and that the man always seemed to get his goat one way or another when these little exchanges occurred which only irked him more.

As it was, his comment to Cor had only made the marshal snort, leaning forward onto the table and obscuring most of the information on his book of crop reports out of Cleigne.

“Is that all I am to you then?  You just see me for my brawn?” Cor asked with a cheeky smile making Cartus narrow his eyes all the more at his report and picking it up so he could block out the man sitting beside him.

“Of course not!  I was… only saying that my strengths lie elsewhere to yours,” he shot back, hating how of all the times for him to lose his renowned sharp wit it was always around this insufferable idiot!  Hating himself a little bit more, Cartus attempted to start reading his paperwork again, squinting at the far too tiny print and slowly drawing the paper closer and closer without realizing.

Until he felt something shift from his head and pop down onto the bridge of his nose, the text instantly becoming clear before him.

At some point, Cor had stood again, reaching over to gently tap the man’s glasses from atop his head to settle down on his nose, a smug little grin playing across his features.

“For all the brains you say you have, I didn’t think it would take a genius to realize he needed to wear his glasses to read,” Cor said nonchalantly, noticing how Cartus’ ears had started to turn from a light pink to a darker red.

“I don’t need these bloody things to read!” he shot back, standing up as well to come eye to eye with the marshal who only smiled in return.

“Could’ve fooled me.  You were squinting so hard I thought your eyes were closed.  I thought I would simply use my  _ brawn  _ to help lower your glasses for you.  I think most people would say ‘thank you’ after such a chivalrous display.”

“Perhaps most people would if the help was asked for or wanted or… or… appreciated!” Cartus shot back.

“What’s not to appreciate?  I just saved you from getting those lines on your forehead… and around your eyes… and near your nose… and just really all in this area,” he said, waving a hand in front of his own face.

This was the final straw for the advisor.  With a growl he instantly picked up a few of the books and reports he’d been pouring over before moving past the other man, not even giving him so much as a clipped goodbye as he made his way toward the exit.

“What?  I was being helpful!” Cor called after him, chuckling as he saw Cartus start to walk faster before disappearing around a bookcase.

As soon as the man was out of sight Cors smug expression morphed into one of disgust and chagrin.

Why did he always do this?!

Every time he came into contact with the man he always had this innate urge to tease him and bother him and it was the antithesis of what he actually wanted to do!

This was what children did!  Teasing and bothering the ones they liked to show affection.

He groaned as he thought about what he’d just said.  About alluding to the fact that Cartus was going to get worry lines from not using his glasses… glasses that Cor  _ knew _ he loathed to the stars and back.

Running a hand over his face he glanced down at the table and seen that in his haste to leave, Cartus had inadvertently left behind the notebook he’d been writing in.

Obviously this meant there were two choices available.

Wait for Cartus to realize that he’d left the book and leave it here for him to find or…

Try to act like a goddamned adult, take it to him and apologize for always acting like a five year old around him.

A few minutes later found Cor exiting the library with the mans notebook tucked away inside his jacket, heading for the advisors office.

He was going to make things right!

\--------------------------------------

Cor did not make things right.

In fact, things now seemed to be far worse if his bleeding nose was anything to go by.

Upon reaching Cartus’ office he’d found the door closed, but the shadows shifting under the door told Cor the man was definitely inside, pacing like he usually did when his mind was working overtime.

He had knocked and after waiting a moment the door had opened to reveal the advisor who’s expression had turned from slightly annoyed to full anger in a nanosecond upon seeing the marshal again.

Cors mistake had been attempting to step into the office in the same moment that the man had gone to slam it shut in his face.

To be fair… slam it shut in his face he did.

The door bouncing back from the force of hitting Cor’s nose and the shout were enough to alert Cartus to the rather ridiculous series of events that had unfolded and he’d instantly opened the door once more to find Cor kneeling on the floor in front of him, hands covering his face as blood began to drip onto the carpet.

Currently Cor was sat on a small sofa on the side of the man’s office, a trash can under him as he sat forward with his head bowed low and fingers pinching the tender spot of his nose to keep the blood from running down the back of his throat.

The door slammer could be found rummaging around in his desk to try and find some sort of potion or remedy he could use on the marshal, grumbling the entire time in what sounded like equal parts apologies and insults.

“Ib you didn’ wanna dee me you coulda jud daid,” Cor tried to joke and mentally kicked himself for it as the sound of rummaging stopped and he heard the agitated huff coming from the otherside of the room.

“I literally stormed away from you in the library.  What more did you need? A note?!” Cartus groused before finally finding a small potion and taking it over to him.  He took the marshal’s free hand and pressed it against his palm, his expression turning from annoyance to contrition in an instant.  “I… do apologize for doing this to you, however. Children slam doors like that and I shouldn’t be acting like a child.”

Upon feeling the cold glass of the potion pressed to his hand, Cor crushed the bottle, feeling the chill of magic moving through his veins and soon the pain of his nose was little more than a dull ache.  As he listened to the apology he shook his head slowly, giving a small sigh and looking up at the other.

“You don’t have to apologize.  Actually… if anything… I’m the one who’s been acting like a child,” he began slowly, already feeling that uncomfortable prickly feeling one gets when venturing into territory completely unknown to them.  “If anything I had this comin’ with as much as I tease and harass you.”

Cartus was momentarily struck for words at hearing that and blinked a few times to try and see if perhaps he hadn’t been the one to be hit by a door.  “Come again?”

Cor groaned and ran a hand through his hair, still dabbing a tissue the advisor had given him against his nose as a few remaining droplets of blood made their way out.

“What I’m trying to say is… I’m sorry.  I’ve been acting like a child and bothering you the way I have because…,” Cor paused, his neck feeling like it was possibly catching fire as that uncomfortable feeling from earlier began to grow.

“Because?” Cartus carefully prompted.

Glancing up, bright blue eyes met questioning green ones and the Immortal gave an embarrassed little smile.

“Because… I like you.”

The two men stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

Cor looking up at Cartus and waiting for a reply.

Cartus looking down at Cor with an absolutely unreadable expression on his face as his mind went over every word he’d just heard out of the others mouth.

It was around the three minute mark that Cor began to shift nervously under the gaze he was under.  Not something he was exactly used to considering he was normally the one staring others down.

“Cartus?” he asked quietly, unsure if he was allowed to break the silence between them.

He realized a moment later he probably shouldn’t have.

Cartus’ face instantly went red and he looked every definition of irate.

“You are an absolute child, Leonis!” he shouted, making the Immortal actually cringe a bit at the use of his name like that.  

“You have been making my life a living hell because you  _ like me _ ?!  What sort of immature, unfeeling idiot does that?!  Don’t you dare answer, I’m not done!” Cartus warned as Cor had opened his mouth to probably give his two cents and Cartus was going to smack him if he heard him utter a single syllable right now.  “Do you know how much time you’ve made me waste trying to avoid you? How much extra work you’ve caused me by chasing me around the Citadel needling me until I thought there was nowhere safe from you and your… your…,”

“... childish?”

“Yes!  Childish theatrics!  And what did I say about speaking?!”

Cartus was absolutely furious and Cor could see that he may have made a bit of an error in judgement here.  Granted, he knew he deserved all of what was being shouted at him, but that didn’t make it any easier to listen to the person you held feelings for tearing you down.

“I’m sorry?” Cor tried as it sounded like the man had lost a bit of momentum and fallen silent.  “Truly. I… know I haven’t made life easy for you… what with the name calling…,”

“Half the Glaives call me Smarty Carty now because of you!  Some of which have taken it upon themselves to get poetic with it and make all sorts of rhymes about me!  Do you know how difficult it is to be taken seriously when someone is calling you ‘Fartus’?!”

Cor frowned at that and felt the guilt build a bit more.  “I’ll talk to them. I’m also sorry about all the um… teasing.”

“You told me I was getting lines on my face only half an hour ago!  Not to mention the cracks about my accent, my hair, my bloody glasses!” Cartus growled out, pointing to his face and the glasses he was still wearing because he was far more angry at Cor then at his need for spectacles at the moment.

“I shouldn’t have done that.  I know how much you hate that you have to wear them, but… I do think that it’s helpful for you.  You’ll strain your eyes if you keep squinting like that. Your weapon of choice is duelers pistols, right?  If you keep it up… your marksmanship will go down even if you are farsighted,” Cor said quietly, looking down at the floor and missing the slight look of surprise that passed over the advisors face.

“Oh.  I… didn’t realize,” Cartus said quietly, the anger almost entirely gone from his voice now as he looked over the marshal.  Sighing slightly he ran a hand through his hair and looked to the clock above his desk and back to Cor. “You realize you’ve cost me almost an entire days worth of work, don’t you?”

Cor nodded before snapping his head up with a little ‘oh’ of remembrance.

“Here.  You left this in the library after I… kinda chased you out.  I was only coming here to bring it back and apologize. I swear I wasn’t going to… I don’t know… burn it in front you or anything awful like that, though I really haven’t cast myself in the best light in front of you,” Cor said with a little smile, pulling the notebook out of his jacket and handing it over to Cartus.

The advisor took it with a little smile in return, looking it over to make sure nothing had been written on it or damaged, his mind still not entirely made up on whether Cor was being genuine.  Still… he would be the childish one if he didn’t at least try to take the olive branch that Cor seemed to be trying to offer.

“Thank you, Cor.  That still doesn’t excuse your behaviour towards me, but… it’s a nice start,” Cartus said with a nod as he made his way back over to his desk to set the notebook amongst his other texts.

“I know it doesn’t.  But… if it takes you slamming the door in my face to forgive me I’ll gladly do it again,” Cor said with another small smile, even making Cartus chuckle, a noise the young marshal had never heard before, though really he’d tormented the poor man for so long it was no wonder why he hadn’t.

“There will be none of that, though I did tell you I could hold my own, didn’t I?” the advisor asked, turning back around to look at the marshal with a slight teasing expression of his own now on his face.

This time Cor was the one to chuckle and he nodded.  “You did warn me. Remind me to never question you again… and to start a training regime for the new recruits that involves doors.  They’re quite effective,” he said with a little wince as he touched his nose, hearing Cartus laugh again and deciding that he much preferred this then to making the man scowl and run away.

“I don’t think there will be any need for that,” Cartus promised, his smile bordering genuine now as he leaned back against his desk.  “Well… seeing as you’ve ruined my progress for the day, bled on my carpet and put a dent in my door… I would say that the least you could do is buy me dinner.”

Cor instantly perked up at this, but Cartus caught the look and raised a hand to halt his train of thought.

“We are going as friends, Leonis.  You’ve been a thorn in my side for ages now and I’d like us to work on a friendship before all else.  Are you amenable to that?” Cartus asked as he took his glasses off and tucked them into his vest before grabbing his suit jacket and briefcase.

Cor nodded at the request, standing and giving the man a light smile.  “Understood. Friends first,” he said lightly as he walked with the advisor to the office door, stepping ahead of him quickly to open it.  “If you don’t mind I’ll have you go first. I don’t think I quite trust a door in your hands at the moment,” he joked, getting a smile out of the other man.

“I don’t blame you though I will endeavor to not hit you with any more.  Provided you behave yourself,” Cartus teased back as he passed by the man, making Cor smile all the more.

“Yes, Sir,” he joked back, following Cartus out the door before closing it behind them.

The day definitely hadn’t gone to either mans plans or expectations, but both left the office that evening hoping that whatever was to come would be far better than they could hope for.


	2. An Altercation And A View Alteration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course he should've known better than to think their altercation would go unnoticed. He just hopes that the kings summons doesn't make things worst between Cartus and himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter, but I have been wanting to get this joke out of my head for DAYS!!! I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter and hopefully Cartus is going to continue warming up to Cor!
> 
> You can also find me at: ragewerthers.tumblr.com
> 
> Enjoy! :D

Standing outside of the throne room, Cor took a few deep breaths.

Earlier this morning, upon entering the Citadel he had gotten a summons from the King in regards to an… altercation the previous evening.

Of course there was going to be a summons.

He hadn’t exactly done a fantastic job of hiding his annoying antics toward Cartus.  No doubt there were many in the Citadel who assumed that he was nothing but a bully to the man.  If you coupled that with the possibility that someone heard the commotion yesterday and mistook it for a fight rather then his face taking the brunt of an ill timed door slam then it was inevitable that this was going to lead to some sort of meeting or another.

Taking a deep breath, Cor pushed open the doors leading into the throne room and made his way inside.  The sound of his boots echoed off the walls of the room, his eyes focused forward as any good soldier should do when facing a superior.

It was no surprise to see Clarus standing beside Regis as the man sat on his throne.

What  _ was _ surprising was seeing Cartus standing at the foot of the stairs leading up to the two men, as well.

It shouldn’t have been as big of a shock, but then again Cor had assumed that he was the only one who was going to get a lecture today.  He’d been prepared to own up to his earlier failings, but now he worried that somehow he’d managed to get Cartus into trouble as well. He made his way closer, standing just beside the other man, but not allowing himself to look at him.

“Your Majesty,” Cor said, eyes locking onto Regis as he brought his hand up to his chest, bowing before him.  “You summoned me?”

“I have, Marshal.  And I believe you have been made aware of the reason for this summons?” Regis asked, his expression betraying nothing of his thoughts and making Cor feel all the more like he was a child getting ready to be reprimanded.

“I have,” he said simply, standing up a little straighter and resting his hands behind his back, ever the military man.  “It is in regards to what occurred yesterday between myself and Car-... Scientia.”

Cor noticed a slight shift in the Advisor standing next to him, but didn’t look his way, instead staying focused on Regis who had quirked an eyebrow at his slight slip up.

“That is correct.  An altercation which led to bloodshed as I’ve been told.  Now. The Advisor has given his side of the story and I will extend the same courtesy to you before we proceed onto how to handle this matter,” the King said simply, Clarus standing stone faced beside him.

Cor could feel the Shields sharp eyes on him and it only added to the grim feeling that was growing in his chest.

However… he knew who was in the wrong here.  He knew who was the instigator. He knew what he had to do to make things right.

“I have nothing to say in my defense, your Majesty,” he began, refusing to try and come up with some sort of excuse for himself or his behavior.  “What occurred yesterday was my fault entirely. Had I not been bothering Scientia then there would have been no altercation. I have… been less than tactful in my interactions with him.  I know that I have not shown myself to be in the best light in regards to him. I am hoping to amend that in any way I can and unfortunately my attempts yesterday led to a… minor altercation as you are well aware.  It was rightly deserved. However, whatever course of action you are going to take on this matter, I ask that you pardon Scientia in the matter. I am the guilty party here. Not him.”

The room was quiet for a moment after he spoke, Regis looking between the two men before giving a small nod.

“Very well then, Leonis.  As you have admitted to being the catalyst to the events yesterday my judgement shall fall only on to you,” he said, Cor taking a deep breath as he awaited what the King would do.

“Considering what transpired, I feel it is only fair that you are hereby stripped of your title.”

Cors eyes instantly widened at that.  Sure he had been an asshole and deserved some sort of comeuppance, but being demoted back down from Marshal seemed like an incredibly heavy price to pay!

“You shall no longer hold the title of ‘the Immortal’.”

Now Cor was just confused.  He wasn’t losing the title of Marshal or his rank.  He was losing his… nickname?

“Sir?” he questioned, unsure exactly where the king was going with this.

It appeared that his expression was far too amusing for Regis to keep from letting his lips quirk up slightly, a look of barely held mischief now clearly visible in his eyes.

“I’m afraid you lost that title yesterday when you were taken down in a… rather unconventional way,” he said, this time a smile was clearly starting to spread across his features.  “From this day forth… Cartus’s office door shall now hold the title… of ‘Door the Immortal’.”

And that was all it took.

As soon as the words were said, a snort escaped Cartus and he instantly brought his hand up to cover his mouth, his shoulders shaking with barely contained mirth.  Cor found it to be one of the most precious things in the world and precious was  _ not _ a word he used in his vocabulary.

Clarus and Regis were close to follow, both man instantly laughing and shattering the ominous atmosphere that had been present in the room only a few minutes prior.

Cor stood there in absolute disbelief.

“..... What?!” he gaped, looking from Cartus to Regis and trying to figure out what was happening.

Regis was the first to recover, wiping away a few tears of mirth from his eyes as he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees and looking far less kingly and much more like the twenty something year old he was.

“You really thought we were going to just let you go about your day without saying something?” he asked, laughter still threatening to escape him as the idea of Cor getting taken out by a mere door was far too hilarious.  “I thought Clarus was going to crack a rib earlier when Cartus told us.”

The aforementioned man was only just getting himself under control, little chuckles still escaping him as he tried to catch his breath.

“Oh my gods, but it was the greatest thing I’ve heard all morning!” he said in the tone of an older brother hearing of his younger brother making an idiot of himself.  Far too much glee for Cor’s liking.

Folding his arms over his chest, Cor glared at the head of the Amicitia household.

“You really want to go there, Clarus?  Didn’t you trip over the tent peg at camp on our way to Accordo and go head first into Cid’s toolbox?  Or the time you closed the door on your cloak and nearly strangled yourself?”

“Hey!  These cloaks are a death trap and you know it!” Clarus shot back, his own eyes narrowed now as he and Cor had some sort of glare off.

Regis leaned on one of the armrests, chin resting in his hand and rolled his eyes at the pair.

“Cartus, may I ask you to bring your door here so it can knock some sense into, what is supposed to be, Insomnia’s best and most advanced fighters?” he asked, making the Advisor crack up again.

Cor and Clarus both turned to Regis, their twin looks of dismay making him chuckle once more.

“I think my door would be much safer where it is at the moment, your Majesty,” Cartus said with a light smile at seeing the two other mens faces.

Regis nodded in amusement and turned to his Advisor.  “I think you’re right,” he chuckled before clapping his hands together.  “Well. Seeing as this matter has been settled, I think I’ve wasted everyone’s time long enough.  Though I do hope I won’t be hearing about anymore of these… altercations?” His eyes immediately found Cors and the young Marshal had the decency to look ashamed.

“It won’t happen again,” he promised, the earnestness in his face making both Regis and Clarus chuckle a bit more.

“That’s all I needed to hear.  Then I shall let you both return to your duties,” he said and before long Cor found himself walking back out of the throne room, Cartus by his side.

“I can’t believe them!  All of that for some… some… stupid joke!” Cor rambled, caught somewhere between impressed at the theatrics of it all and embarrassed that his shame was now so widely known.

Cartus chuckled and shook his head.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I thought it was very informative.”

“Informative?!  How in all of Eos was that informative?” Cor asked in slight disbelief as they made their way toward the elevators.

“It showed me a different side to you, Leonis,” Cartus said with a little shrug making Cor huff a bit.

“Is that right?  The embarrassed side?  The pathetic side?” he guessed.

“The good side,” Cartus said with small smile playing over his lips, instantly making Cor pause in his tracks as he looked over at the man.

Cartus stopped as well, looking over at the Marshal and smiling a bit more.

“I saw a man ready to own up to his mistakes today.  The Cor I thought I knew was one who would’ve found a way to make the entire thing my fault somehow.  Leave me to pick up the mess and take all the blame. The Cor I saw today… would’ve kicked the other Cors arse,” he chuckled and Cor found he couldn’t stop himself either.

“Yeah, well… the other Cor was a prick.  I told you… I… I like you Cartus. I’m done acting like some playground bully to get your attention.  You didn’t deserve half the stuff I put you through and… I really do hope that I make things right between us,” he said softly.

Cartus regarded the man for a moment after he spoke making Cor feel like he was being weighed and measured in that moment.

He probably was.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this… but I honestly think I believe you,” Cartus said with a little smile and if Cor was seeing things right he could’ve swore the man’s ears were just a little pinker then they had been earlier.

Sadly he didn’t get a chance to focus on the new detail as Cartus’ phone went off and both man were instantly brought out of whatever thoughts they had lost themselves to.

Pulling his phone out, Cartus glanced over the text and gave a deep sigh.

“I’m afraid I have to hurry or I’ll be late to my first meeting,” he said and went to make his way to the elevator before pausing and turning back to Cor.  “If you’d like I’m available for lunch today. It’s always much more enjoyable with company, though I hope you don’t mind it being held in my office?”

Cor was momentarily thrown by the offer, but luckily his mind quickly snapped back and he smiled.

“I don’t mind.  I’ll… see you around noon then?” he asked and the smile he received in return made his heart beat in double time.

“It’s a date,” Cartus said before his cheeks instantly flushed up.  This time there was no mistaking. “But not an actual date! I mean… it’s a scheduled event that has been planned involving two people, but… as I said I’d rather we get to know each other better and...”

Cor chuckled and waved his hand slightly.  “It’s alright, Cartus. I understand,” he promised and Cartus seemed to relax slightly at that and nodded.

“Oh.  Okay. Good,” he said awkwardly before his phone went off again and he groaned.  “I’ll see you this afternoon. Until then, Cor,” he said with a final little nod, turning back around and getting into one of the elevators.

As the Advisor disappeared to his first meeting of the day, Cor realized he’d never been so happy to have been hit in the face by Door the Immortal.


	3. Getting To Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a lunch that goes right and a dinner that goes wrong, the gap between these two slowly starts to close.

As the afternoon came along and lunchtime arrived, Cor made his way back to Cartus’s office with a less than stellar meal for himself.  To be fair, he’d never really taken the time to ever make himself a proper lunch for work. Why would he? He spent most of his day either running around after recruits, which left little to no time to eat, or doing military meetings where he discussed what was going on around Eos and in those cases lunch would be ordered in for them.  Considering today was ‘chase recruits around and run them through their drills’ day it meant he was going to survive off of what he got out of any nearby vending machines.

Today’s meal was a bottled water and two bags of some sort of spicy chips that he’d picked up just down the hall from the Adviser’s office.  Knocking on the door he soon heard the call to come in and happily obliged. The idea that he was getting to spend a bit of extra time with the man was honestly making the marshal feel a bit giddy in a way he  _ never _ would’ve thought was possible.  But here he was, trying to tamp down the urge to smile like an idiot as he made his way inside to greet the other.

Now that he wasn’t bleeding profusely from his nose he was able to make out Cartus’s office a bit more than before.  It was simple and clean, two windows allowing in a bit of light from the back and side of his office. Considering the time he had heard of Cartus spending here it was probably good for his sanity to have some sort of natural light.

A large, dark oak desk sat in front of the window to the back of the room facing toward the door.  Currently, Cartus was settled behind the desk in a wooden chair fully engrossed in whatever he was typing on his laptop.  In front of his desk another two chairs were set for visitors, but a comfortable looking leather couch was positioned to the side of the room underneath the other window, a plethora of bookcases adorning almost every other wall and filled to the brim with all sorts of political, economical and financial books someone could think of.

The room itself seemed much more comfortable then the one Cor had for himself, but then again he was barely there so what was the point in putting in extra furniture for company?

Returning his gaze to Cartus’s desk he realized that he wasn’t the only one ill-prepared for lunch if the can of Ebony and the two energy bars settled near the corner were anything to go on.

Cartus seemed to be just finishing up something on his laptop, his eyes squinted at the screen as he worked and making Cor roll his own eyes at the stubborn man.

“Glasses, Cartus.  Didn’t we have this discussion the other day?” Cor asked, closing the door behind himself and turning around just in time to see the narrowed look now focused on him.

“Don’t make me get Door the Immortal to teach you a lesson again,” he warned with a quirked eyebrow, reaching up to lower his glasses from the top of his head to perch on his nose.

Cor couldn’t help chuckling at that and shook his head.  “No need for that. Just a friendly reminder is all. Like I said, you’re one of the few gunners we have and I’d hate for your eyesight to suffer because of your vendetta against your glasses.”

Cartus snorted at the accusation as he typed a little more before clicking the final button to send his email.  “It’s not a vendetta! I just… hate them,” he said with a little shrug, finally turning his attention to the man who had entered and bringing a hand up to remove his glasses once more, setting them on his desk with a look of disgust/  As Cor drew closer, the Adviser’s eyes moved from his evil spectacles to glance at the items in the marshal’s hands. 

“Crisps and water?  Watching your figure, Leonis?” he asked with a little tilt to his lips, making Cor scowl back at him though a smile soon appeared over the Immortal’s features as well.

“Could ask you the same thing.  Ebony and energy bars?” he asked simply, watching as Cartus’s cheeks tinged a bit pink.

“Alright, alright.  I’m not exactly the healthiest eater either,” he admitted with a little smile, closing his laptop to set it aside.  “Here, you can take either one of the seats there. Both are comfortable… -ish. Or if you prefer you can sit on the sofa.  It’s small but probably a little nicer than the chairs.”

“Thanks.  I think a chair will be fine,” Cor said politely as he took a seat in front of Cartus’s desk.

As both men settled into their lunches, however small and unhealthy they might be, they found themselves falling into easy conversation.  They discussed what they were each doing for the day, talked a bit more about what had happened earlier with Regis and Clarus, even going so far as to start telling stories on the King and his Shield to each other and what ridiculous antics they’d been pulled into.

Cor told Cartus of the time he was tasked with trying to free Clarus from his royal robes after the man had gotten his cloak caught in a revolving door.

Cartus told Cor of the time he’d been tasked with trying to find a gift for Queen Aulea when Regis had forgotten their anniversary two years ago.  Cartus could still recall the look in Regis’s eyes when Aulea had turned to him and thanked him for trying to help her husband.

Both men ended up getting so caught up in their stories that it wasn’t until Cartus’ secretary came in to remind him of his 2:00 meeting that they realized they had far surpassed lunch and lost track of time.

After agreeing to get ready for the meeting and watching the secretary leave, Cartus gave a little sigh and turned back to Cor.

“Sorry about that.  I didn’t realize the time, but I can honestly say this has been one of the nicest lunches I’ve had here in awhile.  Far nicer than simply working through it at least,” he said with a little chuckle as he took his wrappers and tossed them in a wastebasket nearby.

Cor couldn’t help smiling a bit at that, gathering up his own empty chip bags and nodding.  “There’s nothing to apologize for. It was definitely nice getting a chance to… talk and just… get to know you a bit more.  You’re incredibly good company,” he said softly, watching as Cartus’s cheeks tinged a bit pink from the compliment. Gods he was never going to get tired of that, was he?

The Adviser couldn’t stop a little chuckle even as he flushed and looked back up to the marshal.  “Well… that’s incredibly kind of you. But… I agree that it was definitely nice getting a chance to talk to you as well.  It’s definitely given me some good info on our dear Shield and King,” he joked, making Cor laugh a bit.

“Like I said.  I got pictures of Clarus floundering around if you ever want to see them.  It may have been one of the happiest days of my life,” Cor joked, smiling more when Cartus couldn’t stop himself from laughing at the imagery.

“I’ll have to take you up on seeing those some time,” the lithe man chuckled, unable to keep from smiling now.

Both men stood, getting ready to bid the other goodbye and it struck each how even though this was only a simple lunch together… neither really wanted it to end.

However, only one of them really had the nerve to say and do something about that.

“You know… I don’t have any plans this evening and… I was wondering if you’d like to grab some dinner after work?” Cor asked, watching as Cartus seemed to give pause for a moment, a look of uncertainty in his eyes.  Cor instantly read what he was thinking and raised his hands in a sign of peace. “I know, I know. No dates. I promise this is nothing fancy and honestly, you can even consider it my way of apologizing for denting your door if you want.”

That definitely made Cartus relax, a snort escaping him as he brought his hand up to cover his mouth, trying to play it off as a cough even as the smile remained.

“Well.  I suppose that dinner as repayment for the pain and suffering you caused my door wouldn’t be so bad,” he offered back, his smile growing a bit the more he thought about it.  “Alright. I’m probably going to be running around for the rest of the day so if you want you can text me where to meet you.”

Cor felt his chest warm through and through to hear Cartus agreeing to his dinner not date.  “Sounds good. I’ll send you a text when I get out of work and where to meet me. Until then,” he said, giving the other a little nod and heading toward the door.  “Oh, and Cartus?”

The Adviser had just been gathering a few items for his meeting when he heard his name called again and looked up to meet Cors gaze.  “Yes? Something the matter?” he asked curiously.

“Don’t forget your glasses,” Cor said lightly, the barest hint of a teasing tone in his voice as the Adviser grumbled and narrowed his eyes, picking up the glasses he had conveniently set aside so as to “forget” them.

“You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” the man mumbled, putting the glasses into his front vest pocket as Cor chuckled and opened the door to leave.

“I do.  But I’m only keeping your best interests at heart,” he said fondly, watching as the blush that had been on Cartus’s cheeks earlier managed to somehow make it to his ears.

This man was going to be the death of him.

With a final small wave he left the office, his heart a little lighter at his future plans laid out before him.  Even if it wasn’t a date it still was exciting to think that he was at least earning back a bit of his good name in the man’s eyes.  Perhaps, even if this never led to anything romantic, he could at least consider himself a friend to the man. That would be good enough for him.

\-------------------------

Cor stood outside ‘ _ Aberdine’s Cup Noodle Stand _ ’ only about two blocks down from the main Citadel building, waiting in the glow of the street lamps and fading evening light for Cartus to join him.  He’d sent a text earlier that day giving him the place for their impromptu dinner, figuring what could be less date like then going to a cup noodle stand for a quick bite?

It hadn’t been too much longer before he’d gotten a message back saying that he’d meet him there and that he was looking forward to getting away from the office.

The day had gone on a little longer than even he had anticipated, only leaving around 8:00 p.m and knowing full well that Cartus probably had a bit more to do than himself.  Cor sent another quick text, letting the Adviser know that he’d be waiting for him at the little food stand. Once again a text had been quickly forthcoming that he would be there shortly.

That had been almost an hour ago.

Cor glanced down at his phone from time to time.  Granted he didn’t want to pester the man and didn’t want to keep sending him texts so after every glance he would simply pocket it again, try to avoid the odd looks from the food stall lady and try to look up with each passerby by to see if a familiar figure could be making his way down the pavement from the main building.

Had he been stood up?

He honestly wouldn’t blame him if he had been, but the man had only just confirmed a little while  ago that he was going to meet him there.

Something wasn’t right.

A little worry built up in Cor’s stomach and he began to make his way back to the Citadel.

Luckily the place he’d chosen for their dinner wasn’t too far away and in no time he saw the imposing figure of the Citadels Tower looming over him.  Most of the windows were dark with the occupants having long since gone home, however, a few night owls still seemed to be hanging on as small flecks of orange lit up their offices.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had probably happened, but he wasn’t a man to leave things up to assumptions and chance.

A few minutes later found him exiting the elevator on Cartus’s floor, making his way down the now slightly darkened hallway and toward a door left ajar with light filtering out into the darkness.

As Cor stood outside the door he peeked in, making sure to stay quiet so as not to interrupt what may be going on inside the room.

What he saw made something in his chest ache.

Cartus looked absolutely miserable.

He sat in front of his laptop, actually wearing his glasses while the glow of the screen accentuated the tired lines marring his face.  His vest was undone, the buttoned up shirt underneath looking a little less pristine than it had earlier. The sleeves of his shirt were now rolled up to his elbows revealing his forearms and all in all he just looked the epitome of the word ‘rumpled’.  Something Cor never would’ve associated with the normally put together Adviser.

“What do you want, Scelus?” Cartus growled, not looking up from his work.

Cor quirked his head to the side and finally pushed the door open and stepped into the room.

“Scelus?” he asked, watching as Cartus looked up startled, his tired eyes taking a moment to register who was actually coming into his office.

“Oh!  Cor! My apologies!  I… oh gods, what time is it?” he rambled, looking around for something to check the time with, but apparently his mind wasn’t exactly in the right place as he glossed over picking up his phone or looking to his laptop.

“It’s getting close to 10 now I think,” Cor offered and heard a disgruntled groan from the man as Cartus ran his hands over his face, pushing his glasses back up his forehead as he rubbed at his eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Cor.  I should’ve sent a text or called, but… I got… waylaid with some extra work at the last second and I’m afraid my mind was elsewhere,” Cartus apologized once more, lowering his hands and looking more deflated and tired by the minute.

“Extra work?  From Regis?” Cor asked as he walked into the office, closing the door behind him. The question was his way of gently prompting the subject.  He didn’t become one of the head military figures of Lucis by not knowing how to get information and right now he wanted to know about this ‘Scelus’.  The obvious cause for Cartus’ distress, but he knew coming right out and asking could well enough lead to no answer at all. Better to just play a little dumb for now.

Cartus shifted a little where he sat as Cor got closer, not exactly meeting the others gaze, but tugging at his shirt sleeve in a nervous gesture he would’ve definitely had a better hold on had he not been so tired.  “No. Not from Regis,” he admitted, giving a little sigh of defeat. “Scelus Asina decided to drop by and give me a few reports to finish for the delegation coming from Altissia tomorrow. It’s nothing he couldn’t have done himself, but… I always seem to find myself finishing up his work.”

Cor had settled himself in the wooden chair he’d been in earlier that day, listening to Cartus as the man vented a bit.  Apparently this wasn’t going to be the toughest interrogation he was ever going to conduct. “So he does this often?” Cor asked, watching the way Cartus’s green eyes hardened at the statement.

“At this point I don’t even know why he has a job considering I carry most of his workload,” he grumbled.  “But he plays it off as if I’m doing him a favor each and every time! ‘ _ Oh you’re really saving me here, Scientia!  It’s not like you have a family to get home to right? _ ’ or ‘ _ This is really going to save me from getting in trouble with the missus again!  Good thing you don’t have a bustling social life, right? _ ’  Somehow… he manages to compliment me, insult me and then sautner out of here with me holding onto far more work then I really need.  And the stupid part of it all is that I do it! Each and every time! Because you know what? He’s right. I can’t refute what he’s saying.  I don’t have a family to get back to and I don’t have a bustling social life.”

There was something in the way he said the last few sentences, the way his shoulders slumped and he seemed to take the words to heart that made Cors heart ache for the man in front of him.

“Cartus…,” he began before being silenced by the look he received.

“Don’t.  I don’t need pity.  It’s the truth, Cor,” Cartus reiterated, his stern expression melting into an apologetic one.  “But I’m sorry that I won’t be able to join you for dinner this evening. And I apologize for not having had the thought to text you to let you know instead of having you waste your evening as well.”

This time Cor shook his head.  “You have nothing to apologize for.  Though I’m sorry that this Scelus has decided to use your good nature in such a way,” Cor said honestly.

Cartus offered the man a little smile at that and shook his head.  “It’s… fine. Really. You think this is the first bully I’ve had to put up with?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow at the marshal and Cor had the decency to look ashamed.  “Some seem to have found fit to follow in your footsteps, as it were. I can only hope they will follow the new steps you’re taking.”

Cor still felt the sting of those words.  Knowing that he had inadvertently led the way for other people to think they could take advantage of Cartus definitely didn’t sit well with him.

Gods he’d been a prick.

Cartus seemed to pick up on the mood of the marshal and he shook his head, offering a little smile.  “Cor, stop it. I can hear you getting ready to wallow and I won’t allow it. I’m an adult. I should be able to deal with a few grade school antics.  I’ll figure it out. But for now… I… should probably get this done before tomorrow.” The man glanced over at the laptop again and the files that had unceremoniously found their way to his desk thanks to Scelus.

“If you’re sure.  I’ll... stop in tomorrow and make sure you haven’t burned yourself out then,” the marshal offered, feeling the guilt still holding strong in his chest as he stood to leave the man to his work.  “Have a good evening, Cartus.”

The Adviser watched Cor stand, something unreadable in his eyes as he gave a small, tired smile in return.  “Have a good evening, Cor,” he offered in return before turning back to his work with a roll of his shoulders, the small smile disappearing as he refocused on work that wasn’t his, doing it because it merely because it needed to be done.

Closing the door behind himself, Cor stood in the hallway for a moment, his mind still processing that he’d inadvertently forged a path for others to take advantage of Cartus.  A man who had so much on his plate, but who had now become an ‘easy target’ because of his own idiocy.

He couldn’t just leave this as it was and soon a little plan had formed in his head.  A small way to make up for all the ways he’d managed to fail the Adviser to the throne.

\-------------------------

Cartus was just finishing up the second of three analysis papers on the Altissian fishing commerce and the surrounding area when he heard a knock on his door.

Cor had only just left about 20 minutes prior and he couldn’t for the life of him figure out who would be milling around the building apart from security possibly coming to check up on him.

“Erm… come in?” he called, watching as the door opened to reveal one of the last sights he expected to see.

Cor had returned… and his arms were laiden with a few takeaway bags, a teasing smile on his lips.

“Really, Cartus?  You’re here… alone… at night… and you hear a knock on the door and you just invite someone in?  We’re definitely gonna have to get you back into training,” he teased, kicking the door shut behind him.

Cartus was still sat, slightly flabbergasted at the sight before him.  “What are you doing back here?” he asked before Cor’s words caught up to him and he scowled.  “And don’t give me that! I can handle myself just fine, thank you very much.” With that he stood, going over to Cor to help unburden the man.

The closer he got the more the scent of the food started to get to the poor Adviser, his mouth watering as he realized that all of this was probably from a few different takeaway joints nearby.

“I wasn’t sure what your tastes would be… and I  _ know _ that your lunch was worse than mine so I figured I’d bring you a bit of whatever I could find,” Cor offered with a light smile, taking the bag he still had and setting on a small coffee table in front of the sofa.

Cartus was still holding the other bag he’d taken from the marshal, the scent of curries, chicken and a few other spices making his mouth water the longer he held it.

“Cartus?  Caz?” Cor asked, unknowingly letting the nickname slip as he looked over at the poor guy, trying his best not to laugh at the dazed look on his face as he finally got his attention.  “Why don’t you take a seat and dig in? You look like you’re three seconds from passing out and I’m not going to have that on my conscious.”

Any sort of comeback or denial died on his lips as his stomach gave a growl any daemon would be proud of and his ears instantly flushed crimson.  “Fine, fine,” he agreed moving around to take a seat on the sofa and set the other bag down, starting to pull out the different food items Cor had picked up.  As he sat his mind finally caught up with the fact that Cor the Immortal had just dubbed him with a new nickname and it… made his stomach give a funny little flutter in a way he didn’t want to analyze right now.

“You really did pick up a little of everything, didn’t you?” Cartus chuckled, unable to help himself as he pulled out curry, Chicken parmesan, two slices of pizza and some Shrimp Cup Noodle, his thoughts easily refocusing on the food before him.

Cor smiled smugly and nodded, taking a seat beside him. “Yes I did.  If you can’t find something you like here then it can’t be found… at least not within a few blocks of here,” he joked, pulling out a sub, Spicy Chicken Cup Noodle, sushi and three cans of Ebony and two bottles of water.  “So… what would you like first?”

Cartus’s eyes roved over the buffett laid out before him, his stomach giving another growl as he sheepishly pointed to the curry and sushi.  “I’d happily lay claim to those two items if that’s alright?” he asked, though before he had even finished Cor was already moving the items closer to him.

“You could claim everything here and it would be alright,” Cor promised, giving him a kinder smile as he also put a bottle of water near the man.  “It’s really the least I could do after being the catalyst for all your troubles this evening.”

Cartus paused in the removal of the lid to the curry, looking over at the man sat beside him and the look of guilt that was coming over him. 

“You didn’t put Scelus up to doing what he does, Cor,” Cartus said gently.  “Just because he saw fit to be a bully, that’s not on you. He could have just as easily left me alone, but he chose not to.  Like I said, I’ll find a way to deal with him like an adult. It’s nothing I want you to trouble yourself with. Though… I really do appreciate the effort of this dinner.”

As he spoke, Cor worked up the nerve to look over at him once more, finding a kind smile on the other’s features and feeling his heart beat just a little faster.

A small smile broke out over his own features now and he nodded.  “Well… like I said. It’s the least I could do,” he murmured, reaching for the Spicy Cup Noodle and settling back into the sofa cushions

Cartus seemed content in the knowledge that Cor was a bit more comfortable now and finally tucked into his own meal, eating the curry in a flourish and quickly following it up with the sushi and finally picking up the Shrimp Cup Noodle to enjoy a bit of extra guilty, salty goodness.

“Feeling better?” Cor asked as Cartus picked lazily at the noodles, eating the bits of seafood he found in it with a contented little hum each time.

The Adviser nodded, a soft smile on his lips.  “Much better. I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” he admitted, fighting a little yawn now as Cor set his empty bottle of water aside.

“I’m sorry I didn’t pick up a little dessert for after,” he said honestly, getting a surprised snort from Cartus and turning to see the man hiding a laugh against his hand once more.  He’d come to realize that Cartus had a tendency to hide his laugh. He wondered if he couldn’t fix that.

“Oh thank goodness you didn’t,” Cartus admitted with a little shake of his head.  “I’ve a horrible sweet tooth. I would’ve made a joke of myself in front of you and I don’t think my ego could’ve handled it.”

Cor chuckled at hearing that, making a mental note to definitely bring back something sweet next time.

Cartus leaned back against the sofa now as well, Cor soon following suit after setting aside his empty cartons.  As they let their dinner settle, Cor still mulled a few things over in his head, debating if he should say what was on his mind and in the end deciding that really… there was nothing to lose by speaking up now.

“You know… I really am sorry for everything I’ve put you through, Cartus,” Cor murmured, looking down at his lap, his fingers fiddling with nonexistent fuzz on his trousers.  “I shouldn’t have been treating you the way I have. I shouldn’t have been a bully and I should’ve just been fair to you and treat you like the amazing person you are.” Cor could feel his cheeks heating up as he spoke, but he knew this had to be said.  “And you really are amazing, Cartus. You do far more than your share of work without complaint. You are loyal, kind… and I hope that we can continue to get to know one another and… that I can continue to earn your trust and especially your friendship.”

As he finished speaking he waited for some sort of comment or remark, only finding the quiet of the room greeting his ears and then… he felt a bump against his side and a weight settled on his shoulder.

“Cartus?  Are you…?” Cor turned his head to check that everything was alright only to find the man asleep against him, the glasses that rested atop his head now slightly askew, his lips only just parted as soft, even breaths escaped him.  He appeared to still be holding onto the half full cup of noodles and Cor carefully reached over to take them from him, trying not to shift too much so as to wake the man.

The marshal couldn’t help smiling at the poor Adviser’s state, shaking his head.  “Here I am trying to have an honest heart to heart and you fall asleep on me,” he whispered more to himself than anything.  All he got for his troubles was a little hum and soft nuzzle from the brunette that made his heart melt. “Well now you’re just being unfair.”

Cor knew he couldn’t stay like this forever.  That eventually he was going to have to get up and leave and make sure that Cartus was awake and okay, but… for now he remained at his post, ever the loyal soldier, allowing the man a moment’s rest from his hectic day.

Giving another little glance to the side, Cor took in the relaxed features of Cartus and gave a little sigh, his smile still lingering on his face.

“You’re definitely gonna be the death of me.”


End file.
